Please find, for review, the debconf templates and packages descriptions for the freevo source package.
This review will last from Tuesday, June 09, 2009 to Friday, June 19, 2009.
Please send reviews as unified diffs (diff -u) against the original
files. Comments about your proposed changes will be appreciated.
Your review should be sent as an answer to this mail.
When appropriate, I will send intermediate requests for review, with
"[RFRn]" (n>=2) as a subject tag.
When we will reach a consensus, I send a "Last Chance For
Comments" mail with "[LCFC]" as a subject tag.
Finally, the reviewed templates will be sent to the package maintainer
as a bug report, and a mail will be sent to this list with "[BTS]" as
a subject tag.
Rationale:
--- freevo.old/debian/freevo.templates 2009-05-30 08:05:36.790462936 +0200
+++ freevo/debian/freevo.templates 2009-06-05 07:48:08.484554954 +0200
@@ -1,80 +1,99 @@
Template: freevo/display
Type: select
-_Choices: x11, fbdev, dxr3, mga, directfb, dfbmga, dga
+Choices: x11, fbdev, dxr3, mga, directfb, dfbmga, dga
_Description: Video output:
+ Please choose the type of video output to use with Freevo.
Adding a long description instead of just having a very short synopsis
and that's all.
I don't think that choices should be translatable. They are modules
and I see no point in translating them.
Template: freevo/geometry
Type: select
-_Choices: 1920x1080, 1280x720, 800x600, 768x576, 640x480
+Choices: 1920x1080, 1280x720, 800x600, 768x576, 640x480
_Description: Output resolution:
- Choose the resolution to display Freevo at. Most CRT televisions
- should be configured as 768x576 (NTSC or PAL). Newer HD televisions
- use 1280x720, and FullHD uses 1920x1080.
+ Please choose the resolution to use with Freevo. Most CRT television
+ systems should be configured as 768x576 (NTSC or PAL). HD television
+ systems use 1280x720, and FullHD uses 1920x1080.
Untranslatable choices, clearly.
Use the "Please choose" standard wording instead of imperative form.
Modified wording, which I hope is better English (to be confirmed by
other reviewers).
We're more talking about TV systems than "televisions" here
("television" is the apparatus).
Drop "newer". HD television can be less and less defined as "new".
Template: freevo/norm
Type: select
-_Choices: ntsc, pal, secam
+Choices: ntsc, pal, secam
_Description: TV Standard:
- Please choose your TV standard. North Americans should choose NTSC, most
- Europeans will choose PAL.
+ Please choose the TV standard to use. NTSC is mostly used in North America
+ while PAL is used in most remaining parts of the world. The SECAM
+ should be chosen for a few countries such as France, Russia and some
+ countries in the Gulf.
IMHO, NTSC, PAL and SECAM *should* be capitalized. They are standards
and acronyms. However, as this has consequences on maintainer scripts,
I preferred not changing anything.
I strongly advise against making reference to the user "origin" being
the key of the choice. People will choose this or that standard
because of their *location* not their origin.
Also, make the choice less Western-centric. There is not only North
America and Europe in the world.....and SECAM has some coverage which
deserved to be mentioned...:-)
I didn't closely verify the list of places that use SECAM. I think
there are some in Africa too (countries with French influence). It's
hard to be sure that one is really exhaustive here. I think the main
point is saying that NTSC==North America roughly, SECAM=="a few places
including a few noteworthy" and PAL=="the rest"
Template: freevo/chanlist
Type: select
-_Choices: us-bcast, us-cable, us-cable-hrc, japan-bcast, japan-cable, europe-west, europe-east, italy, newzealand, australia, ireland, france, china-bcast, southafrica, argentina
+__Choices: USA broadcast, USA cable, USA cable HRC, Japan broadcast, Japan cable, Europe (West), Europe (East), Italy, New-Zealand, Australia, Ireland, France, China broadcast, South-Africa, Argentina
+Choices-C: us-bcast, us-cable, us-cable-hrc, japan-bcast, japan-cable, europe-west, europe-east, italy, newzealand, australia, ireland, france, china-bcast, southafrica, argentina
_Description: Channel List:
- Set the channel list (set of tuning frequencies) that most closely matches
- yours.
+ Please choose the channel list (set of tuning frequencies) that most
+ closely matches the one used in your country.
Split Choices. Such a long list is very hard for translators to cope
with and prone to errors.
I think it's OK to keep this translatable as it allows us to make the
list less jargonic. This template is indeed a good application for
"Choices-C" that allows better and clearer "English translations"
of choices, assuming that the choices you use currently are indeed
settings that will go in a config file and thus should not be changed.
Please see debconf documentation about "Choices-C".
In the long description, use our standard wording. Also, this is not
"my" channel list...but the one that's used in my country..:-)
Template: freevo/title_video
_Default: Video folder
Type: string
_Description: Title of video folder:
- Set a title for the video folder. This will displayed by freevo in overview.
+ Please choose the title of the video folder.
+ .
+ This will displayed by Freevo in overview.
Split in two parts. One will be common to all such templates (less
hassle for translators).
Use "Please" instead of imperative form.
"overview of what?" is a remaining option. I don't find this
particularly clear, indeed.
....several similar changes follow....
Template: freevo/path_to_recordings
_Default: /home/freevo/recordings
Type: string
_Description: Path to recorded video folder:
- Set the path to the recordings folder. Note: A absolute path is required.
-
-Template: freevo/start_on_boot
-Type: note
-_Description: Start during boot
- Freevo can be started automatically at boot time (inside a dedicated xserver). Also web, encoding, rss and record server can be start automatically on bootup.
+ Please choose the path where video recording files are stored.
+ .
+ You must use an absolute path (with a leading "/" character).
Template: freevo/services
Type: multiselect
-_Choices: xserver, recordserver, encodingserver, webserver, rssserver
-_Default: xserver, recordserver, encodingserver
+__Choices: xserver, recordserver, encodingserver, webserver, rssserver
+Choices-C: X server, Recording server, Encoding server, Web server, RSS server
+Default: xserver, recordserver, encodingserver
_Description: Services to start during boot:
- Choose the services you wish to start on boot.
+ Freevo can be started automatically at boot time (by using a
+ dedicated X server). Also web, encoding, RSS and record servers can be
+ start automatically on when booting the machine.
+ .
+ Please choose the services you wish to start on boot.
The start_on_boot note is debconf abuse. This text should go in
the *next* template as an explanation about the choice you're giving
to users.
I reworded it to fit our current proposed style.
Here also, I propose using Choices-C...
--- freevo.old/debian/control 2009-05-30 08:05:36.794462786 +0200
+++ freevo/debian/control 2009-06-05 07:54:05.000555242 +0200
@@ -17,40 +17,75 @@
Depends: ${python:Depends}, python-freevo (= ${binary:Version}), freevo-data (= ${binary:Version}), mplayer, lsdvd, console-tools | kbd, debconf, adduser
Recommends: cdparanoia, xine-ui, xmltv-util, libxmltv-perl
Suggests: mencoder, libdvdcss2, lame, ttf-liberation | ttf-mscorefonts-installer, fbxine, flac, vorbis-tools, fbset, matrox-tools, nvram-wakeup
-Description: A Python based PVR/DVR Framework for Music and Movies
- Freevo is an open-source home theatre PC platform based
- on Linux and a number of open-source audio/video tools.
- MPlayer and/or Xine can be used to play audio and video
- files in most popular formats. Freevo can be used both
- for a standalone PVR computer with a TV+remote,
- as well as on a regular desktop computer using the monitor and keyboard.
+Description: multimedia files display framework - binaries
+ Freevo is an "home theatre" platform that offers several audio
+ and video tools.
+ .
+ In addition to classical audio or video display software, Freevo can
+ be used both for a standalone personal video recording computer with
+ a TV+remote, as well as on a regular desktop computer using the
+ monitor and keyboard.
+ .
+ This package provides freevo binaries and servers.
Use a common synopsis style. Drop leading article as the synopsis
should complete the following sentence "<software> is a <synopsis>"
All binary packages synopsis will use the same "common part - specific
part" format.
Create a boilerplate that's used in all packages. In this, I proposed
several changes:
- drop "open source". Everything in Debian is "open source"
- drop "PC": the multi-architecture nature of Debian makes it possible
to use it on something else than "PC"
- drop "based on Linux". We have other OS in Debian
- drop the advertisment style, comparing to other multimedia
software...at least turning it into a more neutral wording.
The last paragraph will be specific to each binary package.

Template: freevo/display
Type: select
Choices: x11, fbdev, dxr3, mga, directfb, dfbmga, dga
_Description: Video output:
Please choose the type of video output to use with Freevo.
Template: freevo/geometry
Type: select
Choices: 1920x1080, 1280x720, 800x600, 768x576, 640x480
_Description: Output resolution:
Please choose the resolution to use with Freevo. Most CRT television
systems should be configured as 768x576 (NTSC or PAL). HD television
systems use 1280x720, and FullHD uses 1920x1080.
Template: freevo/norm
Type: select
Choices: ntsc, pal, secam
_Description: TV Standard:
Please choose the TV standard to use. NTSC is mostly used in North America
while PAL is used in most remaining parts of the world. The SECAM
should be chosen for a few countries such as France, Russia and some
countries in the Gulf.
Template: freevo/chanlist
Type: select
__Choices: USA broadcast, USA cable, USA cable HRC, Japan broadcast, Japan cable, Europe (West), Europe (East), Italy, New-Zealand, Australia, Ireland, France, China broadcast, South-Africa, Argentina
Choices-C: us-bcast, us-cable, us-cable-hrc, japan-bcast, japan-cable, europe-west, europe-east, italy, newzealand, australia, ireland, france, china-bcast, southafrica, argentina
_Description: Channel List:
Please choose the channel list (set of tuning frequencies) that most
closely matches the one used in your country.
Template: freevo/title_video
_Default: Video folder
Type: string
_Description: Title of video folder:
Please choose the title of the video folder.
.
This will displayed by Freevo in overview.
Template: freevo/path_to_video
_Default: /home/freevo/video
Type: string
_Description: Path to videos:
Please choose the path where video files are stored.
.
You must use an absolute path (with a leading "/" character).
Template: freevo/title_audio
_Default: Audio folder
Type: string
_Description: Title of audio folder:
Please choose the title of the audio folder.
.
This will displayed by Freevo in overview.
Template: freevo/path_to_audio
_Default: /home/freevo/audio
Type: string
_Description: Path to audio folder:
Please choose the path where audio files are stored.
.
You must use an absolute path (with a leading "/" character).
Template: freevo/title_image
_Default: Image folder
Type: string
_Description: Title of image folder:
Please choose the title of the image folder.
.
This will displayed by Freevo in overview.
Template: freevo/path_to_image
_Default: /home/freevo/image
Type: string
_Description: Path to image folder:
Please choose the path where image files are stored.
.
You must use an absolute path (with a leading "/" character).
Template: freevo/path_to_recordings
_Default: /home/freevo/recordings
Type: string
_Description: Path to recorded video folder:
Please choose the path where video recording files are stored.
.
You must use an absolute path (with a leading "/" character).
Template: freevo/services
Type: multiselect
__Choices: xserver, recordserver, encodingserver, webserver, rssserver
Choices-C: X server, Recording server, Encoding server, Web server, RSS server
Default: xserver, recordserver, encodingserver
_Description: Services to start during boot:
Freevo can be started automatically at boot time (by using a
dedicated X server). Also web, encoding, RSS and record servers can be
start automatically on when booting the machine.
.
Please choose the services you wish to start on boot.

--- freevo.old/debian/freevo.templates 2009-05-30 08:05:36.790462936 +0200
+++ freevo/debian/freevo.templates 2009-06-09 07:44:12.787036936 +0200
@@ -1,80 +1,98 @@
Template: freevo/display
Type: select
-_Choices: x11, fbdev, dxr3, mga, directfb, dfbmga, dga
+Choices: x11, fbdev, dxr3, mga, directfb, dfbmga, dga
_Description: Video output:
+ Please choose the type of video output to use with Freevo.
Template: freevo/geometry
Type: select
-_Choices: 1920x1080, 1280x720, 800x600, 768x576, 640x480
+Choices: 1920x1080, 1280x720, 800x600, 768x576, 640x480
_Description: Output resolution:
- Choose the resolution to display Freevo at. Most CRT televisions
- should be configured as 768x576 (NTSC or PAL). Newer HD televisions
- use 1280x720, and FullHD uses 1920x1080.
+ Please choose the resolution to use with Freevo. Most CRT television
+ systems should be configured as 768x576 (NTSC or PAL). HD television
+ systems use 1280x720, and FullHD uses 1920x1080.
Template: freevo/norm
Type: select
-_Choices: ntsc, pal, secam
+Choices: ntsc, pal, secam
_Description: TV Standard:
- Please choose your TV standard. North Americans should choose NTSC, most
- Europeans will choose PAL.
+ Please choose the TV standard to use. NTSC is mostly used in North America
+ while PAL is used in most remaining parts of the world. The SECAM
+ should be chosen for a few countries such as France, Russia and some
+ countries in the Gulf.
Template: freevo/chanlist
Type: select
-_Choices: us-bcast, us-cable, us-cable-hrc, japan-bcast, japan-cable, europe-west, europe-east, italy, newzealand, australia, ireland, france, china-bcast, southafrica, argentina
+__Choices: USA broadcast, USA cable, USA cable HRC, Japan broadcast, Japan cable, Europe (West), Europe (East), Italy, New-Zealand, Australia, Ireland, France, China broadcast, South-Africa, Argentina
+Choices-C: us-bcast, us-cable, us-cable-hrc, japan-bcast, japan-cable, europe-west, europe-east, italy, newzealand, australia, ireland, france, china-bcast, southafrica, argentina
_Description: Channel List:
- Set the channel list (set of tuning frequencies) that most closely matches
- yours.
+ Please choose the channel list (set of tuning frequencies) that most
+ closely matches the one used in your country.
Template: freevo/title_video
_Default: Video folder
Type: string
_Description: Title of video folder:
- Set a title for the video folder. This will displayed by freevo in overview.
+ Please choose the title of the video folder.
+ .
+ This will displayed by Freevo in overview.
Template: freevo/path_to_video
_Default: /home/freevo/video
Type: string
_Description: Path to videos:
- Set the path to the video folder. Note: A absolute path is required.
+ Please choose the path where video files are stored.
+ .
+ You must use an absolute path (with a leading "/" character).
Template: freevo/title_audio
_Default: Audio folder
Type: string
_Description: Title of audio folder:
- Set a title for the audio folder. This will displayed by freevo in overview.
+ Please choose the title of the audio folder.
+ .
+ This will displayed by Freevo in overview.
Template: freevo/path_to_audio
_Default: /home/freevo/audio
Type: string
_Description: Path to audio folder:
- Set the path to the audio folder. Note: A absolute path is required.
+ Please choose the path where audio files are stored.
+ .
+ You must use an absolute path (with a leading "/" character).
Template: freevo/title_image
_Default: Image folder
Type: string
_Description: Title of image folder:
- Set a title for the image folder. This will displayed by freevo in overview.
+ Please choose the title of the image folder.
+ .
+ This will displayed by Freevo in overview.
Template: freevo/path_to_image
_Default: /home/freevo/image
Type: string
_Description: Path to image folder:
- Set the path to the image folder. Note: A absolute path is required.
+ Please choose the path where image files are stored.
+ .
+ You must use an absolute path (with a leading "/" character).
Template: freevo/path_to_recordings
_Default: /home/freevo/recordings
Type: string
_Description: Path to recorded video folder:
- Set the path to the recordings folder. Note: A absolute path is required.
-
-Template: freevo/start_on_boot
-Type: note
-_Description: Start during boot
- Freevo can be started automatically at boot time (inside a dedicated xserver). Also web, encoding, rss and record server can be start automatically on bootup.
+ Please choose the path where video recording files are stored.
+ .
+ You must use an absolute path (with a leading "/" character).
Template: freevo/services
Type: multiselect
-_Choices: xserver, recordserver, encodingserver, webserver, rssserver
-_Default: xserver, recordserver, encodingserver
+__Choices: xserver, recordserver, encodingserver, webserver, rssserver
+Choices-C: X server, Recording server, Encoding server, Web server, RSS server
+Default: xserver, recordserver, encodingserver
_Description: Services to start during boot:
- Choose the services you wish to start on boot.
+ Freevo can be started automatically at boot time (by using a
+ dedicated X server). Also web, encoding, RSS and record servers can be
+ start automatically on when booting the machine.
+ .
+ Please choose the services you wish to start on boot.
--- freevo.old/debian/control 2009-05-30 08:05:36.794462786 +0200
+++ freevo/debian/control 2009-06-05 07:54:05.000555242 +0200
@@ -17,40 +17,75 @@
Depends: ${python:Depends}, python-freevo (= ${binary:Version}), freevo-data (= ${binary:Version}), mplayer, lsdvd, console-tools | kbd, debconf, adduser
Recommends: cdparanoia, xine-ui, xmltv-util, libxmltv-perl
Suggests: mencoder, libdvdcss2, lame, ttf-liberation | ttf-mscorefonts-installer, fbxine, flac, vorbis-tools, fbset, matrox-tools, nvram-wakeup
-Description: A Python based PVR/DVR Framework for Music and Movies
- Freevo is an open-source home theatre PC platform based
- on Linux and a number of open-source audio/video tools.
- MPlayer and/or Xine can be used to play audio and video
- files in most popular formats. Freevo can be used both
- for a standalone PVR computer with a TV+remote,
- as well as on a regular desktop computer using the monitor and keyboard.
+Description: multimedia files display framework - binaries
+ Freevo is an "home theatre" platform that offers several audio
+ and video tools.
+ .
+ In addition to classical audio or video display software, Freevo can
+ be used both for a standalone personal video recording computer with
+ a TV+remote, as well as on a regular desktop computer using the
+ monitor and keyboard.
+ .
+ This package provides freevo binaries and servers.
Package: python-freevo
Architecture: all
Section: python
XB-Python-Version: ${python:Versions}
Depends: python (>= 2.5), ${python:Depends}, python-alsaaudio, python-libxml2, python-beautifulsoup (>= 3.0.1), python-kaa-imlib2 (>= 0.2.2), python-kaa-metadata (>= 0.7.1), python-kaa-base (>= 0.4.0), python-elementtree, python-pygame (>> 1.7.1release-4.1+b1), python-imaging, python-twisted (>= 2.5.0), python-sqlite, python-xml
-Description: Python modules for Freevo
- This package contains Python modules for Freevo
+Description: multimedia files display framework - Python modules
+ Freevo is an "home theatre" platform that offers several audio
+ and video tools.
+ .
+ In addition to classical audio or video display software, Freevo can
+ be used both for a standalone personal video recording computer with
+ a TV+remote, as well as on a regular desktop computer using the
+ monitor and keyboard.
+ .
+ This package provides Python modules for Freevo.
Package: freevo-data
Architecture: all
Recommends: freevo (= ${binary:Version})
Depends: ttf-dejavu | ttf-bitstream-vera
Conflicts: freevo-media, freevo-common (<< 1.8.0rc2)
-Description: Themes and non-application data for Freevo
- This package contains themes, fonts and other non-application data
+Description: multimedia files display framework - themes and data
+ Freevo is an "home theatre" platform that offers several audio
+ and video tools.
+ .
+ In addition to classical audio or video display software, Freevo can
+ be used both for a standalone personal video recording computer with
+ a TV+remote, as well as on a regular desktop computer using the
+ monitor and keyboard.
+ .
+ This package contains themes, fonts and other data
for Freevo.
Package: freevo-lirc
Architecture: all
Depends: freevo (= ${binary:Version}), python-pylirc, lirc
-Description: Lirc control for Freevo
+Description: multimedia files display framework - Lirc control
+ Freevo is an "home theatre" platform that offers several audio
+ and video tools.
+ .
+ In addition to classical audio or video display software, Freevo can
+ be used both for a standalone personal video recording computer with
+ a TV+remote, as well as on a regular desktop computer using the
+ monitor and keyboard.
+ .
This package add lirc support for Freevo.
Package: freevo-doc
Section: doc
Architecture: all
Recommends: freevo
-Description: Documentation for Freevo
+Description: multimedia files display framework - documentation
+ Freevo is an "home theatre" platform that offers several audio
+ and video tools.
+ .
+ In addition to classical audio or video display software, Freevo can
+ be used both for a standalone personal video recording computer with
+ a TV+remote, as well as on a regular desktop computer using the
+ monitor and keyboard.
+ .
This package contains documentation files for Freevo.